Components Analysis of Korean Pollens and Pollen Extracts

The chemical components of Korean pollens and pollen extracts were analysed to provide fundamental data for pollen processing and products development. The contents of crude protein, crude lipid, crude ash, crude fiber and carbohydrate of pollens were respectively, showing the specially high crude fiber content (37.5%) in Pine pollen. Almost all the carbohydrate, lipid, protein and ash components except fiber were extracted by water and n-hexane. Free sugars identified in water extracts of pollens were fructose and glucose as major component and maltose as minor component. The proportions of three free sugars to total soluble solid content of Mixed, Acorn, and Pine water extracts were 73.6%, 85.4% and 47.7% respectively. Potassium and phosphorus content in pollens and pollen water extracts were high, but Ca, Na, Mg, Fe and Zn were not major mineral components. The essential amino acids such as leucine, phenylalanine, methionine, lysine, valine, isoleucine and threonine were contained richly in pollens and those were almost completely extracted by water. Vitamin and C were not detected, but only small amount of vitamin was detected in the pollens and pollen extracts tested. The essential fatty acids such as linoleic acid and linolenic acid were contained richly in pollens. The proportion of unsaturated fatty acids to total fatty acid content in Mixed, Acorn and Darae pollen except Pine was higher than 50%.